Just got back from my second trip, here's a few things I've learned:

1) I'm extremely out of shape. Especially for a 26 year old. Twelve straps thrown, tied up, and tightened I'm huffing and puffing. Part of the reason I wanted to go to deck is because I gained 50 lbs in 5 years doing dry van. I was too skinny back then, but now I'm borderline overweight.

2) You can NEVER have enough storage. I need a third box!

3) There's no such thing as "over securing" a load.

4) If you have to harass the loader to load you right, do it! Even if it takes 15 minutes.

5) My East drop deck empty handles better then any dry van I've ever pulled. Even when they're fully loaded. The thing handles great. A lot less fatigue.

6) Customers in this part of the industry are easier to find, and generally have a better attitude. They unload you a lot faster as well.

7) Not one, nobody, not a single experienced deck driver will give you the cold shoulder if you ask for help. Hell my first load there were no less then TEN guys helping me out. They all love getting asked for help or advice.

8) Fuel mileage varies a lot more compared to dry van. 5.6 to 7.3 so far.

9) Backing up a trailer that you can see over and has NO tail swing is a dream! Even blind side is a heck of a lot easier. I don't really understand why deck guys always seem to have problems backing up. It's the easiest thing I've ever done.

You sweat in the summer, freeze in the winter and the wind always howls when you have to tarp, ya gotta love it.

I wouldn't trade it for all the tea in china. But I do cuss and throw things and kick stuff a hell of a lot when I have to tarp that cheap stuff out of Wyoming in 30 mph winds.

It never fails, can be a calm sunny day but as soon as you find out you gotta tarp it along comes the wind. Had one take me right off the truck one time.

Totally right on & why I love flatbedding. As a life-long flatbedder who recently started pulling vans I have gotten a backing comeuppance. I now have a ton of resect for the backing skills of van drivers. With flats you just never seem to get the really hairy ones that seem common to dry vans. When I see guys spin a 53' around and stick it in a hole, even with the huge backswing- I'm friggin impressed.

the huge back swing is what allows them to swing around

Yeah, but when you got 10 feet sticking out behind and only 1 foot on either side of the slot you are backing into, I'd be scared sh#*tless that the backswing would scrape the side of the adjacent trailer if I tried to wiggle it in.

This van stuff makes me want a log hauling job real bad.

Depending upon where it is, sometimes I get scared sh#tless too. It's a lot easier when they build the stupid docks further apart (like most of the newer facilities), but the older ones have them crammed together real tight.

Glad I ain't the only one.

Allan, I agree with everything you said except the backing up. Seems like when it looks hard I get it in no problem, when it looks easy I'm fighting it to get it where I want it, and why is it that when I one shot it on the blindside side no one sees me, but when I can't seem to hit the broadside of a barn sight side there's a crowd of guys watching. I am learning to use the dump valve to my advantage though.

I watched a driver put a van into a hole at the Gibson, PA Flyin hook a few weeks ago. It was storming real bad and there was only 1 spot in the whole joint. Guys were parking anywhere rather than park in this spot which was the 2nd spot back from the fuel island. The guy in the first spot had his nose sticking way out but this guy hit it first time... and he didnt even set up for it. Tandems were way ahead tho. He could have never done it with a 41' wheelbase and a 10' spread.